Police in Leominster, Mass., are conducting an internal investigation to determine whether one of their officers made a racial slur targeting Red Sox outfielder Carl Crawford.

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Chief Robert Healey said in a statement that the officer in question has been placed on desk duty pending the outcome of the investigation.

Crawford said he heard a racial slur directed at him last week when he was playing a game with the Portland Sea Dogs against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in Manchester. Crawford, who usually plays left field in Boston, has been playing in Portland for a rehab stint.

Crawford said it started with the fan calling him overrated, in reference to a huge contract he signed. And then, the heckling got worse.

"While we're talking about that guy, he actually called me a racial slur to begin the game with. So he was the only one I had a problem with," said Crawford. "You know, people from Boston don't even do that. So I don't know what that was about, you know. I don't get it. It's not that bad in Boston like that."

Healey said if the the allegation is true, it is "very disturbing."

Healey said there may have been two people who made remarks at Crawford, and investigators are trying to determine if the officer made the racial slur.

The name of the officer has not been released.

"If, as a result of the investigation, the comments are conclusively attributed to someone, that person will no longer be welcome at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium," Rick Brenner, Fisher Cats president, said in a statement.